


Upward

by PrimeVivid



Category: Onward (2020)
Genre: Gen, Universe Alterations, four years later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:53:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23463526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrimeVivid/pseuds/PrimeVivid
Summary: The yearly blizzard in New Mushroomton is heavier than ever this time ‘round. But as we know the Lightfoot Brothers, a snowstorm can’t stop them from having a great night out. It took a lot more than a simple storm for this story to happen, after all.Strange things are happening in the city.**NOTE** This story is under major editing, so the current 2 chapters are out-of-date! Pay no mind to them and updates will arrive shortly.
Relationships: Colt Bronco/Laurel Lightfoot
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Onward (2020) belongs to Pixar!!

“ _Wo-ow_!”  Barley emphasized. “It’s snowing unicorns and dragons out there!” 

Several trees had fallen and electricity had failed all over New Mushroomton, yet Barley Lightfoot, still as oblivious, payed attention only to the heavy-winter snowstorm outside. His wife, Quinoa, was staying back at home, seeming as she was pregnant with twins. He was back at his old hometown taking a visit.

The school district of the city was highly ( **read: absurdly** ) strict, so schools had not been canceled. Barley had sat around all day, waiting for Ian to come home. They were supposed to have a  Brother’s Night,  a sacred ( weekly ) event where they would hang out, play Quests of Yore, and to top it off, drive ‘Guinevere II’ to Ravens Point and cast  Boombastia  in the skies. 

You may be remembering at this point the heavy storm. Of course, as we know the Lightfoot Brothers, they weren’t gonna let a puny  snowstorm  stop them. Laurel, of course, highly objected this due to the _major_ lack of safety. She had thought they would stay home and watch a movie, something more calmed down. Laurel wanted her boys safe while she was out with Corey, or the Manticore.  
  


The brothers knew they could get out there, _only_ if they avoided Officer Bronco, their step-father. Barley was lost in thought, planning their escape until a scratching noise brought him back to reality. He figured it was just Blazey. Then there was a thump. Barley turned his head, and it took that for everything to seem like it was going in slow-motion. Thoughts began overflowing in his head. 

**A crash.**  


_“What was that?”_  
  
**A slightly familiar figure.**

_“Who is that? That’s no creature I’ve seen...”_

**Smoke and fire.**

_“Why is there fire?”_

** Darkness.   
**

** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is quite short, and I promise chapter will begin to get longer from here. 
> 
> Note: Barley is 23 and married. And yes, everyone in his new family are also named after grains.


	2. Chapter One: Declining

Ian Lightfoot trudged through the thick storm, somehow unbothered by the dangerous cold. All he could think about was the awesome night he was going to have with his older brother Barley!

He had practiced magic for about 3 years, and had no doubt mastered it. It all started with the quest he went on with his brother to bring back their father for a single day. Of course, it didn’t go as planned.

Ian thought that, after the quest, their lives would return to normal. The world had come to accept magic with ease, and the brothers had become quite the icon. Things were looking up for the Lightfoot family.

He didn’t know why, but that wasn’t enough for him. Sure, he was content, but something felt missing. Ian didn’t know what was missing. Something about this newfound peace just felt... off. No one else noticed. He felt alone in all this, but he knew there was one specific brother he could always talk to about anything and everything. That’s why he was so eager to return home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He didn’t expect the house to be charred. His stomach knotted and his knees buckled. “ _Is Barley alright_?” Ian thought. That is all he thought. It was everything he, at the moment, was concerned about. Without a thought of his own safety, he pulled open the door and ran inside the house. What used to be the family room was now charred and the furniture was cracked.

Ian frantically ran around the ruin, looking for his brother. The only thing unburnt was his staff and the perfect circle of wood flooring surrounding it. The staff was slowly splitting apart in all directions, and blue light began to flow like water from the tips and cracks in the wood. The light joined together to make a figure of light. It was small, and reminded him of an antagonist from Quests of Yore Barley had told him about.

“ _It can’t be that **thing**... not again..._” he thought.

It simply gazed up at the teenager, as if it were waiting for him to speak up. Ian remained quiet for a few minutes, partly in shock, the other studying the strange figure. “I- What are you..?” Ian asked just above a whisper.

With a simple wave of the spirit’s head, the snow halted upon its command. It began to speak a hushed language that was foreign to Ian, yet he somehow understood it. With this thought he realized where he had seen the spirit before.

…~~ F L A S H B A C K ~~…

_Ian glanced up at his older brother’s terrified face. He’d had enough of these horrible dreams. Dreams? Who ever said they were dreams? They could be nightmares or nothing at all. The younger had gone to Barley in hopes that he could tell him what was going on with him. “So... remind me again what is happening?” The older spoke calmly in attempt to hide his panic. “I told you, Barley, I’ve been having these weird dreams. There’s some kind of figure in the dreams, and it speaks to me... like a language I don’t know but for some reason understand?” Ian’s voice cracked. “What else?” Barley asked. “It... shows me things. Memories. From a long time ago. Memories from other people. It thinks I should... know these things.” Ian trailed off absently. Barley took in a deep breath, and created a strained smile on his face, resting his hands on Ian’s shoulders. “It’ll be alright.” He spoke almost breathlessly._

…~~ E N D F L A S H B A C K ~~…

Barley had clearly lied to him, and there was no doubt in Ian’s mind. “ **Answer me.** ” He spoke strictly. The spirit gave no reply. “Who are you!?” He gave a strangled cry. As he yelled, the spirit began fading. No matter how loud he screamed, it was just disappearing until it was nothing.

Ian fell to his knees. What was next? His brother was missing. His house had burnt down. Is this yet another quest? Where was his mother? Where was his father? He knew exactly who to find. Laurel had been out with Corey all day, so Ian knew he had to find her. But where?

The Manticore’s Tavren, perhaps?

He took the keys that’d been buried under ash and started up Guinevere II. Upon arrival to the tavern, he saw Corey pacing around the back of the building. Ian, racing over to her, yelled, “Corey! Mrs. Manticore!? We have an emergency on our hands!” She whipped around and in response said, “Oh thank goodness her kid is here...” she said to herself. “Do you know where your mother is!?” She panicked. “No! Is she missing too? Because Barley just went missing!” Corey looked distraught. “She was just here, Ian! I turned around for 15 seconds and POOF! Laurel’s gone!” The both of them knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

_Were things really looking up for the Lightfoot family?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback and criticism on Upward is always welcome. Also, in case no one caught it, the fire mentioned in the Prologue is in the house and the house did burn. Where Barley is, though, is for our characters to find.


End file.
